As the Seahawks and Patriots plot their offensive strategies for Sunday's Super Bowl, you've also got some important game planning to do. This year, instead of washing down your favorite football foods with the standard six-pack, why not ask an expert what local brews would best complement the flavors of your wings? Good thing we already did. Registered cicerones Austin Harvey of Lakeview's Beermiscuous, Revolution Brewing's Gabriel Boden and Binny's Chicago-area beer buyer Pat Brophy tackled our challenge to pair the all-star snacks of Super Bowl parties with beers from Illinois breweries.
Buffalo wings
As a general rule, Brophy said, spicier food goes well with hoppier beer. To stand up to the strong, vinegary spice of classic wings, he recommended a hoppy pale ale, like Mercenary Brewery's The Charlatan. "The carbonation of the beer scrubs your tongue clean, so it's very quenching," Brophy said.
If just quenching is your goal, without that punch of hops, Harvey suggests a pilsner or lighter colored lager, such as Metropolitan's Krankshaft, or Boden's pick, Revolution's Cross of Gold golden ale. And if you or your host opt for teriyaki sauce or another twist, Belgian-style IPAs such as Revolution's seasonal A Little Crazy, with its more subtle notes, might be a good match, Brophy said.
Pizza
"Pizza is probably the one that has the widest range of overall flavors and is probably the richest of those dishes as far as depth of flavor, because you already have carbohydrates there from your crust, you have nice fatty content there from your cheese, maybe a little bit of herbal character and maybe even a little sweetness in the sauce," Harvey said. "So depending on your toppings, you can go in all sorts of directions."
A hoppy red ale like Two Brothers' Cane and Ebel or 51st Ward's Down Over lager has the hops to cut through the richness of the cheese, but enough maltiness to complement flavorful sausage or pepperoni, Brophy and Harvey said. "The No. 1 rule of pairing is matching the intensity of your flavors with the intensity of your dish," Harvey said. Considering the chilly weather and the indulgent spirit of the day, Boden suggests taking it a step further with a darker option, like Revolution's Eugene Porter-its roasty flavors and full body will mirror the loaded pizza and offer an instant winter warm-up. To reflect the earthy flavors in a veggie pizza, the pros said Two Brothers Domaine DuPage or Ale Syndicate's Van de Velde are lighter, crisper choices.
Nachos
Stadium-style nachos you might get at a sports game don't have a lot of herbal character, Harvey said, so something sweeter such as Begyle's Blonde ale or Ten Ninety's Half Wit witbier would work. Add in some jalapenos and Pipeworks Ninja vs. Unicorn double IPA should do the trick, according to Brophy. "That's a really good one, very hoppy but also with a strong malt backbone, so it's not going to get overpowered by that neon cheese," he said. With traditional nachos topped with guacamole, sour cream or beans, let the Mexican flavors inspire you. Brophy said he'd opt for something like 5 Rabbit Cerveceria's golden ale.
Potato chips and French onion dip
Salty chips and a creamy dip call for something sharp but refreshing. The hoppy lightness of Sunday Session from Ale Syndicate or Alley Time pale ale from Spiteful Brewing will balance the fat and herbal content of the dip and keep the saltiness in check, Harvey said. Or, if you'd rather embrace the sodium, Brophy said you might want to go with a gose-style beer with a hint of salt in it, such as Off Color's Troublesome.
Veggie tray
For those fans still holding onto their New Year's resolutions-or looking to come up for air between slices at halftime-the crispness of carrot or celery sticks pairs well with something lighter. Boden touts Revolution's Bottom Up wit for its notes of coriander and orange peel, which make it refreshing without being overpowering. A Belgian style single is also a good choice. Destihl Brewing's Abbey's Single ale isn't too sweet, but still cleanses the palate and brings out the flavors in the veggies, Harvey said. "[Abbey's Single] is decadent without being heavy, and [it's] under 6 percent alcohol," Harvey said. "So it's a great way to get the evening started without getting yourself wrecked before kick-off."
>>Don't overthink it
Though the perfect pairing can help you enjoy something as tired as tortilla chips with new taste buds, all three experts insisted their recommendations are only suggestions and the most important thing to remember when choosing beers is to drink what you like. "Don't stretch it," Binny's Chicago-area beer buyer Pat Brophy said. "If you don't enjoy a particular style of beer and you're going to pair it with the food for the sake of the pairing, you're doing it wrong."
>>Where to buy
Check out these breweries websites to find a store near you stocking their brews:
5 Rabbit Cerveceria: 5rabbitbrewery.com
51st Ward Brewing: facebook.com/51stWardBrewing
Ale Syndicate: alesyndicate.com
Begyle Brewing: begylebrewing.com
Destihl: destihl.com
Mercenary Brewery: mercenarycraft.com
Metropolitan Brewing: metrobrewing.com
Off Color: offcolorbrewing.com
Pipeworks Brewing Co.: pdubs.net
Revolution Brewing: revbrew.com
Spiteful Brewing: spitefulbrewing.com
Ten Ninety: ten-ninety.com
Two Brothers: twobrothersbrewing.com
gpurdom@redeyechicago.com | @gwenpurdom